Interim Agreement with a View to an - Official Documents

ARTICLE 50
Trade in timber, non-timber forest products and derivatives
1. The Parties shall work together to facilitate trade between the EC Party and
Central Africa in timber and forest products which come from objectively
verifiable legal sources and help to achieve sustainable development. The Parties
agree to:
a) implement measures to increase market confidence regarding the origin
of forest products, particularly their legal and/or sustainable origin.
These measures may include systems to improve the traceability of
timber and forest products sold both within Central Africa and between
Central Africa and the EC Party;
b) put in place an audit and surveillance system that is independent of the
control chain.
2. The Parties shall explore possible ways of improving commercial
opportunities for timber and forest products with a legal or sustainable origin in
Central Africa on the market of the EC Party. These measures may include, inter
alia, stronger public procurement policies, measures to raise consumer awareness,
measures to promote the processing of forest products in Central Africa, and
activities and initiatives in association with private-sector operators.
3. The Parties undertake to develop non-discriminatory policies and/or
legislation within the scope of this Chapter; they also undertake to ensure the
effective and non-discriminatory implementation of these policies and/or
legislation, in accordance with WTO provisions.
ARTICLE 51
Regional integration
1. The Central Africa Party undertakes to build and implement a regional
framework to govern trade in timber and forest products originating in Central
Africa, including the appropriate cooperation mechanisms and legislation to ensure
that it is applied and implemented effectively.
2. The Central Africa Party shall develop protocols and/or guidelines for
cooperation between the competent authorities in Central Africa which are
responsible for implementation, to ensure that intra-regional trade in timber and
forest products from Central Africa come from objectively verifiable legal sources.
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